Nutritious too!

Our Prime Minister recently lectured gas producers about their "social licence", although it would be a fair bet that few of those present had a clue what he was talking about. Nevertheless, it seems that just such a document is needed in order to tap Australia's vast energy reserves and take to market a commodity that politicians -- like the green-minded Malcolm Turnbull, for instance -- have distorted to the point where blackouts are increasingly common and captains of industry talk of pulling up stumps and moving their operations to countries where a greater degree of sanity prevails. To help gas producers obtain that social licence, Zeg has a suggestion. All they will need is a cereal box and a pair of scissors.

For what it’s worth here’s my definition of a social licence from about ten years ago.

So you want a Social Licence… What is it? What’s it good for? And where can you get one?

The all powerful, very cool. and dare I say it, mystical Social Licence!
Not everyone can have one. But more about that later.

So what is a Social Licence?
A Social Licence gives you permission to comment on subjects that you have no training in but feel your opinions are better than people who’ve studied and researched the area for 10, 12 or even 20 years. So, you might feel strongly about Tasmanian Devils, and with a Social Licence your views are given equal weight with those of a Professor of Zoology! How cool is that?

What’s a Social Licence good for?
Aside from the obvious power, you can use it just about however you like. In essence what you say becomes “reality”! Imagine you really hate Gunns. When they say they want to make clean Green electricity with a Biomass Generator your Social Licence allows you to say “Gunns should leaving saving the Planet to the people who care about it” and get it published in National News Media. That is amazing you say? Well, Gunns doesn’t have a Social Licence and you have. So even though you know nothing about anything other than feel-good mother-craft statements you’re in there, instant power!

How to get a Social Licence.
Not everyone can have a Social Licence. Obviously, you have to be “better”. And that’s the secret to getting a Social Licence. You have to be special, have special powers and knowledge. But not real knowledge, that’s for intellectuals. The best way to get a Social Licence is to join a pseudo-political group that’s got a few spare. We’re talking Australian Conservation Foundation, The Greens, The Tasmanian Greens (they have heaps, just lying around), The Wilderness Society etc. But you don’t just get a Social Licence, you get access to dozens of slightly woolly brained potential sexual partners! Score!